Dining Out: Lose yourself in tastes and textures at Thai Paradise

By Denise J. Wheeler

Thursday

Sep 20, 2018 at 5:15 AMSep 20, 2018 at 5:15 AM

I didn’t know, until I got lost in the fugue of an Avocado Green Curry dish Saturday night, that it was the culinary equivalent of a reset button. My senses gave way, falling down a deep well of flavor. A euphony of sweet coconut, melt-in-your-mouth avocado, tender shrimp, mild anise-like Thai basil, and a warm burst of chili pushed away my surroundings and cares. Goodbye, Portsmouth. Hello, Thai Paradise.

The restaurant on Bridge Street, beside what will soon be the city’s new parking garage, is ambitiously but aptly named. Not because it is posh or fussy. It isn’t.

Instead, Thai Paradise is a small mom and pop operation run by Tuk and Tim Vajrabul, who offer a rare level of welcoming warmth that makes patrons feel like family and who serve authentic staples from the classic Thai-restaurant canon that focus one’s attention on embracing their food’s vibrancy and depth.

This is the real deal if you are looking for Thai food in the Portsmouth area without the tiresome macho sideshow of gratuitous spicy heat. And the bill won't make you break out in a sweat either. On my first visit, my guest and I each had appetizers, entrées and wine, then we split a dessert. The bill was under $60, a deal in downtown Portsmouth.

The Yum Talay for $12, under “salads” on the menu, is more like a light main dish. It boasts a playful mix of flavors with the natural sweetness of fresh squid, scallops and shrimp, nutty notes of cashew and the sharp accent of lime juice against a sizzle of chili. This tangy and refreshing dish has been etched into my guest’s memory since the Vajrabuls first opened Thai Paradise here in 1996. The couple left for their native Thailand 12 years ago to care for aging parents, but returned to Portsmouth recently, buying back their former restaurant and renovating it to create a more bright and spacious feel.

My guest was delighted to see her old favorites on the new menu. She urged me to try the Tom Yum Kung, $8, a mesmerizing lemongrass-based soup, bobbing with plump shrimp, sliced mushrooms and kaffir lime leaves. It was both powerful and soothing.

It is easy to see why the Pad Thai, with tender rice noodles that have absorbed a sweet/savory tamarind sauce, is one of their more popular dishes, especially for take-out. Offered with shrimp, $15, or chicken, $12, the drenched noodles are stir-fried with egg, tofu cubes, scallions, crunchy fresh vegetables and garlic, then finished with roasted chopped peanuts.

There are plenty of vegetarian options and they are marked on the menu, including the intriguing Paradise Puffs, $7, a small plate of golden, triangular pastries stuffed with curry, onion and potatoes served with a zingy cucumber relish for dipping.

I sampled something from every category on the Thai Paradise menu and our table was crowded with exotic tastes, textures and scents. As I played a type of culinary roulette and my fork spun from dish to dish, I could not help but return to the Avocado Green Curry, $22. Its shimmering creamy taste and aromatic pungency were a combination that would not be ignored.

Dessert was the only dish that failed to meet or rise above our expectations. We had a dark custard with sesame seeds and mango that was too thick and pasty.

The culinary community has watched and wondered how Tim, who does the cooking, and Tuk, who hosts and serves, would adjust to a more gentrified, busier Portsmouth and its competitive restaurant scene. The good news is the Vajrabuls are doing what they have always done, providing fresh, lovingly prepared Thai cuisine at a reasonable price with old-school, neighborly service reminiscent of the days when meaningful and lasting connections were routinely made between Portsmouth business owners who worked their own counters daily and their patrons.

At Thai Paradise, you will get a warm greeting, you might even get kissed, as my 76-year-old mom did when she told Tuk her dinner was the best meal she’d had in long time. But Thai Paradise is frill-free. Our black and white menu had a couple of entrées crossed out in bold, thick Sharpie. There were no alcohol options listed there, but if you request a glass of wine, Tuk will give you a choice between Pinot Grigio or Merlot. No labels or regions will be noted, but your wine glass will be filled to the rim.

The best drink to order is a Thai iced tea, $3. Cold, orange and creamy, it resembles a sweet milkshake more than tea.

Another note about the menu, if you Google Thai Paradise the one that comes up first is from the past owner. The up-to-date menu is more truncated, but packs plenty of punch. You can find it at www.ThaiParadisePortsmouth.com.

Lunch is from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. Dinner is 4:30 to 9 p.m., Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, and until 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturdays. The restaurant is closed Mondays.

For more information or for take-out, call (603) 431-9193.

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